Fort Worth Real Estate Online

You are about to apply for a mortgage to finance your new home purchase.  Then the question comes up.  Should I get a mortgage loan with ZERO points... (called a "par" rate loan) or should I pay extra points up front... to get a lower interest rate... so my payments will be lower ?

That's the question !  So... what's the best answer ?

The answer for this... is pretty much the same as the answer to many questions.

It Depends !

If you are considering paying extra money... by paying extra "points" as part of your closing costs... (a "point" is one percent of the mortgage amount)... then here is what you need to decide.

How long... how many years... do you think you will be in your home before you sell it ?

Paying points... and buying down the interest rate ONLY makes sense if you are going to be in the home long enough so that the amount you save on your MONTHLY payment ends up EXCEEDING the amount you paid in points.  

In general... if you pay points... and are in your home for less than five years and eight months... you lose money.  

If you pay points to lower the interest rate... and you are in your home LONGER than five years and eight months... you end up ahead of the game... because the total of the money you saved on your monthly payments... exceeds the original cost of the points.

If you pay points up-front... and then end up moving in three years... half of that up-front money ends up wasted... because you have spent more on the points than you have saved in your three years of lower monthly payments.

Also... don't forget about the possibility of you deciding to refinance.  If you pay points for a lower rate at time of purchase... and then the rates drop, and you decide to refinance... the same thing happens.  You have wasted the up-front money you paid for points for the lower rate... because refinancing ends the lower monthly payments you ended up with... when you paid the points originally.

My advice to buyers... in general... is to keep your money you'd pay for points... in the bank.  Or... depending on your situation... use it to pay off a high-interest credit card.  Or... pay your car off.  Save a bunch that way.  

It makes much more sense... and YOU make more "cents."

CNN and Money Magazine, according to a recent survey, have determined that Fort Worth, Texas was Among the Best Places to Live in the Largest Cities category.

The criteria used in determining the rankings included affordable housing, availability of cultural facilities, job growth, sunny weather, short commute time, excellent infrastructure and good health care access.

Fort Worth features excellent and very affordable housing.  The fact that Fort Worth real estate is consistently ranked as one of the "most home for the money" cities is widely known. 

When surveying the degree of "cultural options and opportunities..." Fort Worth, with it's Cultural and Museum District on the western edge of the city...  placed it very high on the list.

Other important categories used in the rankings included sunny weather, short commute time, and good health care access.  With Fort Worth's excellent climate, it's plentiful traffic infrastructure... which is also expanding in every direction possible... Fort Worth's commute times were one of the lowest in the nation in the Larger Cities category.

Finally, Fort Worth worth enjoys an excellent availability of top-rated hospitals and other medical care facilities... all in all contributing to it's top-rank placement.

In addition, there were three other Texas cities in the top ten that are all within twenty-five miles of Fort Worth... Arlington, Denton and Lewisville. 

Also worthy of mention is the fact that Tarrant County, which has Fort Worth as it's largest city, will soon feature the brand new home of "America's Team"... the Dallas Cowboys.  Although a few rumors have been heard that the team may be re-named either the Fort Worth Cowboys or the Arlington Cowboys... none of these rumors have been substantiated.

Downsize to Luxury !  Come take a peek at this exquisite Patio Home in Frisco, Texas near Stonebriar Mall.

If you're in the market for a new home, and don't want the bother of taking care of a full-sized yard, these Frisco Patio homes may be just what you have been looking for.

Ranging in size from 1,650 sq ft to almost 3,000 sq ft, these impressive and oh-so-energy-efficient homes are just packed with all the custom features that some many of today's buyers are looking for.

If you are ready to go from "Just Browsing" to "Let's Get Serious..." call the Frisco/McKinney New Homes Hotline at (972) 951-4350 and arrange for your very own personal tour.  You Open House host will be Henry Morales.  He will take extra good care of you... :)

When new home buyers in Fort Worth and Dallas... and Frisco, McKinney, Carrollton, and all the surrounding new home hotspots... want the best choice of Brand New Homes... they know that New Home Hunters DFW is where to go !  They will find new homes there that may not be available anywhere else.

Being represented by a Realtor when purchasing does not cost you, the buyer, any additional costs whatsoever.  Each New Home Builder already has an overall marketing budget, so there is no charge to the Buyer.  And... when having Karen Anne represent you in your new home purchase, you have the added advantage of working with a Realtor who also has over ten years of experience previously working for new home builders.  Karen Anne knows the "inside scoop" which can save you thousands of dollars in your New Home Purchase.

Karen Anne constantly surveys all of Tarrant County for the latest New Homes, and shares the "cream of the crop" on her website.  Many homes have already been completed.  Karen Anne is ready to wrap up your favorite New Home with a Big Red Bow... just for you.

                                                   http://www.NewHomeHuntersDFW.com

This is not just a website for one particular builder.  Karen Anne's "picks" for the prettiest, coolest, absolute best values available in Today's New Home Market are from all the New Home Builders throughout Tarrant and southern Denton County... and the entire DFW Metroplex.  Come see what the excitement is all about.

In Many Cases, new home financing is available for all types of buyers.  Even with the current mortgage situation, zero-down financing is still available, and with many of the mortgage financing plans, the Builder will pay most if not all of the Buyer's Closing Costs.

Make sure when you talk with Karen Anne... that you ask her about her new "Buyer Relocation Benefits" program.  If you live out of state and are relocating to Fort Worth... help may be available.

Even though each of the new homes pictured on Karen Anne's "New Home Hunters DFW" website is built in a specific area that is mentioned in the home information, many of the homes can be built "just for you" in many other areas throughout the Greater Fort Worth area... so if the area listed does not work for you, other areas are available.  Please call the New Homes Hotline at (817) 929-3400... or (972) 951-4350.

Have you about "had it" with apartment living ?  Would you like Uncle Sam, or Aunt Samantha to send you a check for $8,000 ?  If so... there's a great neighborhood just brimming with excitement... and it's just up the road in Frisco, Texas.  

Come see what all the excitement is about !  Think of it... lots of luxury and pampering near Stonebriar Mall... but without the size, upkeep and pricing generally associated with luxury homes like these.

A gorgeous Patio Home community has just opened up, and two sparkling new models are ready for you to see.

Ranging in size from 1650 sq ft... to nearly 3,000 sq ft... these pretty and oh-so-energy-efficient homes are just packed with all the custom features that so many of today's buyers are looking for.

Perhaps you're a "career single" working near the Dallas North Tollway or in or near the Stonebriar Complex ?   This location works about as well as any we have seen in quite a while.

Are you more the young couple just starting out ?  These three and four bedroom homes, some single stories, some two-stories, offer you just about any bedroom, living area, and architectural design combination you could ask for.

Maybe you're an "empty-nester" moving to a smaller home, but don't want to give up the luxury you've become used to in your present/previous home ?  If Yes, this will work out just great for you, too.

If you are ready to go from "Just Browsing" to "Let's Get Serious..." call the Frisco/McKinney New Homes Hotline at (972) 951-4350.  Let's set aside a time to get together. 

Keller, Texas... has just so many great things going for it.  Well... it seems that someone else besides local Keller-ites have noticed.  Keller... a thriving "smaller city," and a suburb of Fort Worth, Texas, was recently named one of the Top-Rated Smaller Cities in America.  Keller is just west of Southlake, Texas... and just south and east of the Alliance Corridor area of North Texas.

The fact that Keller is well-known for it's superb school system, it's great shopping, and it's active but reasonably-priced housing neighborhoods, it's great high school sports teams, and the fact that Lake Grapevine is just a few miles away... all contributed to Keller being part of this celebrated group of cities.

Other cities in Texas named to the list are three other North Texas cities besides Keller... Allen, McKinney and Flower Mound.  Two cities in the greater Austin area... Round Rock and Cedar Park made the list, along with Friendswood, League City and Sugar Land... three suburbs of Houston... also made the list.

Many folks outside of Texas may think Texas is either a state fully of cowboys and cactuses... or huge cities like Fort Worth, Dallas, San Antonio, Houston and Austin... but for those seeking a less hectic place to live... Texas has those, too.

If you are considering relocating to Fort Worth or Keller Texas... call the New Homes hotline at (817) 929-3400... or sample some of the area's great new homes at the Hotline website at www.NewHomeHuntersDFW.com .

So much space and so many amenities !  This brand new three bedroom, two full bath home is just full of goodies and surprises.  With a split-master arrangement, the master bedroom is quite spacious.  The master bath has both a garden tub and a marble stall shower... and a huge walk-in closet with rods and shelves everywhere.

Bedrooms two and three are nice sized, and are split away from the master bedroom.  Sooo... everyone gets some privacy !  The gourmet kitchen has an island and serving/breakfast bar, oodles of cabinets and counter space, and a nice skylight to make use of the boundless natural light in Texas.

Although this home has two dining areas, the kitchen/breakfast room is so roomy, the dining room could easily be a den/office/computer room.  Measuring 1,760 sq ft... the $144,990 price tag will make everyone happy. 

If you're ready to go from "Just Looking" to "I Want That $8,000 tax credit before it goes away"... call Karen Anne Stone at (817) 929-3400.  You still have time to get in before summer ! 

Come see this brand-spanking new home in a newly-opened section of one of North Fort Worth's sought-after neighborhoods.  This great home boasts 2,396 sq ft... and sells in the mid-190's.

This gorgeous home features four very nice-sized bedrooms... (the fourth could be a study), two full baths, a split-master arrangement, and a master closet so large you might have to go shopping for extra clothes to fill up the rods.

The kitchen is in the center of the home, and features an awesome island, an impressive skylight, cabinets on all four walls, a walk-in pantry, shelves for cookbooks and stuff, and a wrap-around breakfast/serving bar that's really great for this Fall's Cowboy parties.

The gourmet kitchen opens up to a roomy breakfast/morning room.  The family room is oversized... and makes for great furniture arrangements... with plenty of options for where to place the big screen TV.  An extra-long covered patio allows cook-outs all year long.

If you're ready to go from "Just Looking" to "Let's Get Serious"... and want to make sure you get in on the $8,000 tax credit for first time homebuyers... call Karen Anne Stone at (817) 929-3400 to set aside a time to see this pretty home.

There is another new home builder who has entered the market in the Fort Worth area.  I happened up their new model earlier this week.  After touring it... I must admit... it is pretty cool.

The kitchen is really great... lots of good gourmet yummies are ahead for the new owners, I am sure.  Three great bedrooms, two full baths, and one good-sized living area... a "Great Room."

The picture above is that of the model... so where the two sets of double French doors are... that is where the garage entrance will be.

The front exterior is just full of interesting stuff.  A covered front porch, a set of triple-windows above the garage door, and some very interesting roofline architectural touches.  This cool home measures 1,406 sq ft... and is priced from $129,990 to $134,990... depending upon which exterior design the buyer chooses.

This is a great home for a single buyer... and the total payment could easily be about the same as a nicer two bedroom apartment in the area.  Sooo... if you are ready to go from giving away your rent checks to some landlord... and getting into a home you can call your own... please call me... Karen Anne... at (817) 929-3400.  Or... visit my website... www.NewHomeHuntersDFW.com .

It has happened again.  During my never-ending search from the coolest homes in the county... a few days ago I came upon the model below.

It is located in Keller, Texas... and is one of the two models for a newer builder who has recently come upon the scene here in the Fort Worth, Texas area.

This particular two story model is NOT huge... it's about 1940 sq ft in size.  But... when inside... it SHOWS huge.  It has four bedrooms... one of which could be a study.  Also included are a gourmet kitchen, a breat breakfast area, a loft, and a Media Room.

It has been a while since I have seen such a good-looking home for the price... which, by the way, runs between $160,990 and $164,990... depending on the front exterior design the buyer chooses.

So Mr, Mrs, or Ms first time home buyer... if you are ready to go from "Just Looking" to "Let's Get Serious"... let's set aside a time to get together.  Turning your dream into reality can be only a phone call away.  Call Karen Anne at (817) 929-3400.  Or... you may visit my website at www.NewHomeHuntersDFW.com .